Last and last attachment



March 2, 1937. M LLER I 2,072,838

LAST AND LAST ATTACHMENT Filed Nov. 12, 1954 INVENTO R CMQLES ILLEIQ a/La m.

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT FFlE LAST AND LAST ATTACHMENT deceased Application November 12, 1934, Serial No. 752,563

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to the shoe making art and, more particularly, to a last and last attachment for use primarily in the manufacture of cemented shoes.

In the manufacture of cemented shoes according to the Sbicca method, it is desirable, in order to prevent the adhesive from soiling the bottom of the last, to cover the portion of the last bottom which is exposed by the recess defined by the rand of the insole. For this purpose it has been proposed to attach (usually by glue) a paper cover to the rand so that said cover overlies the opening in the insole and prevents cement from reaching the last bottom.

The removal of the paper cover during the operation of finishing the shoe is frequently difficult, usually because the paper tears, and in addition to this difficulty, the glue used in attaching the paper cover'adheres to the insole and must be removed. It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a cover which will not tear and which can be secured in position over the recess in the insole without the use of adhesive and Without being attached directly to the insole.

It is important in the manufacture of shoes according to the Sbicca method to properly secure the insole to the bottom of the last. For this purpose several tacks are driven through the insolo into the last bottom. According to the present invention, the use of tacks for securing the rand portion of the insole to the last is substantially eliminated. This constitutes another object of the invention.

The above objects of the invention and other objects ancillary thereto will best be understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an insole in position on a last with the plate removed;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the plate in position;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the forward portion of a last bottom with attached insole and plate, showing a modification;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a plate of a further modification;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

In making a cemented shoe according to the Sbicca method, there is utilized an insole l0 having a rand l2 which defines a recess through which the forward portion of the bottom 14 of the last i6 is exposed when the insole is secured to the last. It is desirable to cover this recess in order to prevent cement, which is used in securing the marginal portions of the shoe upper, from being smeared over the bottom of the last. According to the present invention, there is util- 5 ized for this purpose a relatively thin plate l8 made of any suitable durable material, such as metal, fibre board, hard rubber, wood, etc. This plate is substantially flat and has a shape corresponding to the shape of the recess in the in- 10 sole 10. Preferably the plate is of such size as to be approximately coextensive with the recess at the outer edge of the bevel edge 22 of the insole when the latter is on the last. It will be understood, however, that a plate of one size can be used for lasts in a range of sizes, since the plate can overlap the rand or the bevel edge thereof more or less.

The plate I8 may be removably secured to the last 16 in any suitable way. In the construction 0 shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the last [6 is provided with threaded recesses 24 formed in metal sleeves 26 which are externally screw-threaded and thereby secured to the last in the position shown. The sleeves 26 are provided with screw-driver slots 30. Screws 32 pass through apertures in the plate l8 and engage the threaded recesses 24 to removably secure said plate in position.

In the construction shown in Fig. 4, it is unnecessary to provide the last with recesses for securing the plate l8. As here shown, the plate 1811, which is in other respects the same as the plate I8, is provided with a plurality of spaced slots 34 disposed adjacent the periphery of the plate. Pointed tacks 36 extending through the slots 34 and driven into the bottom of the last serve to secure the plate l8a in position, when desired, and the plate can be readily removed by removing said tacks.

The plate utilized according to the present invention for covering the recess in the insole to prevent smearing of the bottom of the last with the adhesive is preferably also used for holding the insole in position on the last bottom. When the plate has this function in addition to its function as a cover for the insole recess, the number of tacks otherwise used for temporarily securing the insole to the last can be materially reduced, especially at the forward portion of the insole, and if desired the use of tacks at said forward portion may be obviated. I prefer, however, to use tacks 38 at the front tip of the rand and near the shank of the insole to supplement the clamping action of the plate l8 or l8a in holding the rand portion of the insole in position on the last. When the plate is used as a holding device, it is relatively rigid and the marginal edge portion thereof engages the peripheral edge portion of the rand l 2 adjacent the recess and thereby securely holds at least the forward portion of the insole on the last. Before applying the outsole, the plate will be removed to permit the projection on the ball portion of the outsole to enter the recess.

In Figs. 5 and 6 there is illustrated a further modification of the present invention. As here shown, the plate I8?) is preferably flexible and hence may be made of paper or cloth, which, if desired, may be of any suitable reinforced construction. This plate is provided with apertures 4!! reinforced by eyelets 42 of metal or other suitable material. Said plate l8b is in other respects the same as plate I8 and may be secured to the last It by screws passed through the eyelets 42 into engagement with the threaded recesses 24. This plate, as well as plates [8 or 18a, may if desired be applied to the last so as to underlie the recess in the insole and will prevent adhesive from reaching the last, although it will not function as a device for holding the insole in place on the last. As the plate I81) may be relatively inexpensive, it may be discarded when unfit for further use.

It is thus seen that the present constructions are well adapted to accomplish the several. ob-

jects of the present invention. As the plate in each of the constructions covers the recess in the insole, the bottom of the last is effectively protected against contact by the adhesive, and when the plate is sufiiciently rigid and engages the rand, as in the constructions shown in Figs. 2 to 4, it clamps the forward portion of the insole to the last and, therefore, makes unnecessa the use of tacks at saidportion.

While I have shown and described several embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that they are not exhaustive of the specific embodiments of which this invention is capable. It will be understood also that certain changes in the construction and arrangement of parts in each of the embodiments herein described may be made. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the preciseconstruotions disclosed herein, except as may be required by the appended claims considered with reference to the prior art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and. desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A device of the kind described comprising a plate for covering a portion of the bottom of a last, said plate comprising a layer of flexible material and provided with one or more apertures therethrough and eyelets secured to said plate at said apertures.

CHARLES MILLER. 

